Consider the Duty of being "true and just in all our dealings,"
I. As peculiarly a duty towards our neighbours. The whole frame of society stands by mutual confidence. Knaves sometimes seem to prosper in the world; but it is only because they are supposed to be honest, and because on the whole we are obliged to trust in each other as being honest. If the belief in truthfulness and honesty as the general characteristics of mankind were entirely done away with, the earth would scarcely be habitable; the bonds of society would be broken. There is therefore no duty, perhaps, towards our neighbour which it is more important to enforce than this, and the more so because it is one of the breach of which human laws can frequently take no cognisance.
II. One way in which we should take good heed to be true and just is that of estimating liberally, fairly, and in a Christian spirit the conduct of our neighbour. It is not just to suppose that people always act from bad motives, except when we can prove the contrary. Christian charity hopes all things; and, though Christian charity will consequently in this wicked world be often deceived, still it is better to be deceived than not to hope the best. If we are thoroughly penetrated by the spirit of Christ's religion, it will show itself in such ways as this; it is by descending to the affairs of common life, by hallowing our smallest and simplest actions, that the religion of Christ really shows its power, and that it is proved that we are new creatures that the old things have passed away, and all things become new.
Bishop Harvey Goodwin, Parish Sermons,4th series, p. 287.
References: John 18:38. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. xxviii., No. 1644; Bishop Lightfoot, Christian World Pulpit,vol. vii., p. 337; Three Hundred Outlines on the New Testament,p. 99; E. Thring, Church of England Pulpit,vol. x., p. 577; R. Winterbotham, Sermons and Expositions,p. 290.